@ClayMorgan I seriously agree with Clay, though. The hollowing out that's happened in media and related disciplines has led to a galaxy of typos and generally bad writing. (PRESENT COMPANY EXCLUDED, of course)

Your story about the frazzled retailer and the PR Newser point out a big failing point. Not of PR / social media folks. But of businesses.

Far too often, businesses don't put in the time to think and act strategically, to look ahead. Too much puttin' out fires, too little thinking ahead, too much last-minute asking for things that are likely impossible and almost certainly ineffective.

Canadian humorist Stephen Leacock once described a character who "flung himself from the room, flung himself upon his horse and rode madly off in all directions." Businesses shouldn't fall into that trap, and we shouldn't aid and abet them.

So here's my question, Ms. Dietrich and the usual gang of Spinsuckers:

If we get these calls or emails from potential clients, do we:

A) laugh at them

B) try to achieve their goals because we need the bidness

C) do SOMETHING to try and land them as a client without buying into their craycray

@ginidietrich@elmayuga If you like Morning Pages, you might find 750words useful as well. It's an online version of morning pages with some gamification added in for fun. I really like it. http://750words.com

@ginidietrich, Because of the quadrillions of neural connections interfacing with the outside environment through or sensory and perceptual systems, the number of mistakes available to be made is effectively infinite. But I have no doubt that you've made the most of anyone I know. ;-p

That is a great post. I was talking to a friend yesterday who brought up the T&C that Tim Hortons (a Canadian coffee chain, think Dunkin' Donuts) has for its wifi. 2,265 words in 15 numbered paragraphs. To use wifi at a coffee shop. With sentences like this: "These Terms and Conditions and all documents and policies referenced herein, constitute the entire agreement and understanding between Bell Mobility and you pertaining to the subject matter hereof and shall supersede and replace all prior agreements, understandings and representations, written or oral, regarding such subject matter." I wonder what your kids would make of that!

@ginidietrich@ClayMorgan And, if it's an adult, to the adult in question. If you don't like a book, DON'T READ IT. But don't try to prevent others from doing so.

I helped to organize an event for a few years up here in Ottawa called "Censored Out Loud", where we got local celebs to read from banned books and local musicians to cover banned songs. The variety of material that has been subjected to challenges is truly astonishing.

Great post. I constantly find myself educating about this myself, so I'm glad to see it taken on here.

One of my favorite tools for sourcing images is http://search.creativecommons.org/, a "meta-search" engine for material that is CC licenced, which can (not ALL the time, mind you) give you the ability to use an image, sound, or other piece of content and respect copyright.

One question for you though, Lindsay -- when you write "know the most up to date digital copyright laws out there because they’re always changing", what ones should the content creator know? The laws in place where the blogger resides? The US laws? Other laws?

@rosemaryoneill I really like this point. In addition to the EI, Rosemary, I'd also say that the person doing the content in question has to have a total grip on the "voice" of the organization they're working for. In another comment here @ginidietrich asks "does it fit the vision?" I think of it as "do you know the voice?"

The analogy I use is when I used to write a lot of speeches, the better I could "hear" the person in my head as I read the text to myself, the better the speech was. If I couldn't "hear" the person saying what I was writing? Trou-bbblleee.

You need to KNOW that what you're going to post / tweet / whatever is consistent with the voice of the organization. Southwest Airlines doesn't sound like GM doesn't sound like Allstate.

@corinamanea I'm a big evernote fan, so I was pleased to see it mentioned, although I don't know why you need connectivity? I have EN on my phone and on my laptop, and I use them all the time without being connected. Simple matter to sync 'em when I'm back online.

And I am also interested to see how many people use WP as their placemarkers for posts.

#1: Obviously, you'd be way AHEAD of Petrolino if you weren't having these mysterious failures. By the way, when you get the replacement bands, they don't get shipped via Maine, do they?

#2: This isn't even a warranty issue anymore. When you get to 3 devices in a year, they ought to be doing everything they can to ensure you have a more satisfactory experience.

#3: If you ever come to my house and rearrange my bookshelves we are going to THROW DOWN. Size?! SIZE?!?! Fiction: alphabetical by author surname; non-fiction: by subject, then by surname within subject. Any other way is madness and eviltry.

@ginidietrich I miss the device. I do not miss the class which required the device. First-year university calculus nearly killed me. I had a great prof who kicked my ass into surviving. I did it by offering to answer EVERY problem in class. I can still hear him walking through one of my integrals and saying "And HERE is the point at which Mr. LeDrew commits algebraic hara-kiri..."